Getting Some Rest
by hibiren
Summary: Ghost can't sleep and tries to figure out what to do to pass the time. Roach, who was surprisingly awake-and eating some of that awful sugared cereal-joins Ghost and they talk for a while, which leads to a few realizations... [repost from my ao3 account]


It had been a long night for Riley. The previous day's training left his legs and back sore and he kept waking up every hour or so at the slightest noise. At 3 a.m., he gave up and wandered into the sitting room, flipping on the TV and letting the comforting white-noise of static from its speakers fill the room. He was too tired to see, or really care, what channel it was on. The blinds on the window were open, letting in thin slits of moonlight, which would have been calming if Riley wasn't already so wound up from lack of sleep.

So, he just sat down on the couch, soon deciding due to complains from his back muscles that laying across it would be a better option, his head against one armrest and his legs resting on the other. It was somewhat better. Slowly Ghost drifted off into half-awake musings, his mind wandering along with the guidance of the faint talking from the TV across the room.

Through the haze of his daydream, Riley could hear footsteps down the hall. He wondered who it could've been, as he could usually identify people by the varying sounds of their feet on the floor… Before he could try to guess, the door to the sitting room opened and Ghost turned his head to find out the identity of his visitor. It was Roach, who was holding a bowl of cereal in one hand and rubbing at his eyes with the back of his other palm after closing the door behind him.

Yawning, he walked slowly over to the couch and looked at Ghost until he caved in, grumbling as he sat up.

"Isn't it a little early for you to be eating sugar?" Ghost asked, struggling to find a comfortable position now that he was upright, his sore back starting to remind him not to move too much. Roach sat down next to Ghost and gave a quiet sigh.

In response, Roach gave a guilty smile after a moment. "There's no sugar. Well, not anymore. I, uh. Might've eaten all the marshmallows out of the box already."

Riley raised an eyebrow and looked at the other skeptically. "Really, now? MacTavish'd have your arse if he found out you're eating all that junk."

"What he doesn't know…" the blond muttered and thoughtfully ate another spoonful of marshmallow-less cereal. "It's so boring now, though. Kinda bland."

"Hm. Matches you perfectly then," Ghost teased with a small smirk, no longer feeling awake enough to tolerate the pain of sitting up any longer. Since Roach was where he'd been laying… Ah, fuck it, Ghost thought to himself, and shifted so his head rested easily in the other man's lap.

"What are you doing?" Roach asked quietly, setting down his bowl of cereal on the side table and looking down at Ghost.

"Using you as a pillow," Ghost said straightforwardly.

"Hm." Roach stayed silent as he looked down at Ghost. There was an interesting, observant look in his eyes now.

"What? Got something you wanna say?"

The blond shook his head, hair wisping lightly across his forehead as he did. He probably needed a haircut, but Ghost agreed with himself that longer hair was an alright look for the other man. It made him look younger, and more attractive… maybe it was the lack of sleep, but Ghost found his eyes tracing over Roach, from his blond sleep-fluffed hair, to his thin eyebrows, to his eyes…

Roach hesitated when Ghost continued to stare. "Something wrong?"

"Hm? Nah. Sorry, mate." Shrugging half-heartedly, Riley turned his head and closed his eyes. "Just tired."

"Hey, can I ask you something?" Roach asked quietly.

"Yeah?"

"You're not wearing your mask," he mumbled with a faint noise that could qualify as one of surprised amusement.

Ghost shrugged again. "I don't sleep in it. I've tried and I just wake up 'cause it gets too hot sometimes."

"Huh…" The blond's hand drifted from its place on the armrest, to run through Ghost's smooth hair.

The other's eyes closed as warm fingertips combed lightly through his hair. A pleased noise sounded from is throat as he laid there contentedly against Roach's lap. "Mm…"

"Your hair's so soft," Roach whispered, "It's really nice…"

Ghost smiled, enjoying the relaxing sensation of Roach's fingers in his hair. "Glad you like it, I guess. But it's just hair… You're a strange one."

Roach chuckled, ruffling his fingers lightly against Ghost's hair. "Can't take a compliment?"

"I can. Just I'm surprised you're being so affectionate tonight. Usually you keep to yourself. What made you want to be all sociable at this hour?"

"Couldn't sleep," Roach answered honestly. "And I know, you don't sleep well… I figured… I could keep you company?"

"Thoughtful little bug," Ghost mused. "Well, I appreciate the company."

A few quiet minutes passed, Roach continuing to brush back Ghost's hair with his thin fingers, and Ghost almost fell asleep, but Roach's quiet voice called him back.

"Ghost?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I tell you something?" The other's voice was quiet, hushed and shy.

"Sure, go for it."

"You, um… you've been wandering around a lot lately… you really haven't been sleeping, have you?"

"Nah."

"Would… would sleeping in the same room as someone help? I know… I know you've been hanging out in here at night and it worries me… a couch is no place to live on," Roach mumbled with a small worried noise.

"You're asking me to go to bed with you. Is that it?" Ghost mumbled past a tired laugh.

"N-No! W-Wait, no! That's not—I just wanted to ask i-if… h-having someone there… ah, I shouldn't have said anything! This is so awkward, I'm sorry." Roach moved Ghost's head off of his lap and stood up, pacing anxiously around the room, heading toward the door and then stepping away as if he'd decided against leaving but still couldn't make up his mind.

"Calm down, I was just messing with you," Ghost said, slight worry in the back of his mind that he'd upset the other man by mistake. He sat up and propped himself up on his elbows and watched Roach continue pacing, only glancing away for a moment to switch off the TV that neither of them had been watching. "Sorry. If it makes you feel any better, I think I'll take you up on that offer. I just want to sleep…"

Roach stopped walking and turned to Ghost as he stood and stretched slowly, his sore back still making itself known by making his movements difficult. "You will? O-oh, okay. M-Maybe we should try to go back and since it's still dark out, we've still got a few hours of time to ourselves."

Ghost nodded and walked over to the door to open it and walk off toward the bedrooms. He really hadn't slept in the room he was assigned, that room with Roach, in a long while… and finally the other had started picking up on it. Late night wandering only helped clear his head so much. Roach followed silently behind Ghost and walked with patient steps, keeping pace a few feet behind him.

Once they finally got back to their room, Ghost shrugged off his shirt and tossed it on the bunk bed. Roach slipped out of his shirt as well and folded it neatly before placing it with his dirtied clothes from the previous day. He walked over to the small floor-lamp and switched it on, a faint light filling the room. The two of them went about silently for a couple minutes until Roach spoke up.

"I'm guessing you want me to sleep on the top bunk?"

Ghost shrugged as he sat against the mattress of the bottom bunk, laying back against his pillow and trying to make himself comfortable. The couch really was a lot more comfortable than this stupid ancient thing, but he'd give sleeping in his actual bed a try just for tonight to see if it helped. "Sure, why not. That way if I have to get up again in a few hours I won't bother you. I know that stupid ladder on the bunk is rusty as hell."

Roach chuckled. "Right, right." He started to walk over toward the bunk, but stopped after putting his hand on one of the rungs.

Though he'd already started drifting off somewhat, Ghost noticed Roach faltering for a moment and questioned him about it. Roach tried to shrug it off but he wasn't fooling anyone.

"You okay?" Riley opened one eye and turned so he was facing the other man.

"Actually, I wanted to ask you another question."

"Sure, go for it." He blinked to try to stay awake as he waited for Roach's response.

Sighing, Roach removed his hands from the ladder and moved over, leaning down so he was kneeling on the floor by the bunk next to Ghost. "Have you been avoiding sleeping in here because you keep waking up so much? Are you having nightmares…? I-I know I shouldn't be prying, but I'm worried about you."

Ghost turned so his back was to the other and he was now staring at the boring white concrete of the wall. He grumbled to himself but after trying to sort his words together he finally said something. "Yeah. I don't want to wake you up moving around. You need sleep more than I do, I'm used to running on four hours or about that. It's not that big of a deal."

"But, you need sleep!" Roach said firmly, placing a hand on Ghost's shoulder until he shrugged out of the touch. "Please. I really don't mind. I sleep like a rock."

"Yeah, when you are asleep. I know you stay up late too, Roach, you're really an awful liar."

A little more strength behind his action this time, Roach grabbed Ghost by his shoulder and turned him over, to face him. Ghost wondered what the hell had gotten into him but if he was acting this aggressive there had to be a deeper reason for his concern. Nothing usually made him this forceful.

"I'm being serious! I'm really worried about you…" muttered the blond as his statement trailed off into worried noises. The hand on Ghost's shoulder tightened its grip, but not tight enough to hurt him. "I know you've been wearing your sunglasses a lot more often than usual. It's been too cloudy out here for you to need them. You... now that I see you not wearing your mask or anything… I know for sure, you haven't been sleeping. You've got horribly dark circles under your eyes…"

"So? You're getting a little naggy," Ghost objected, eyes narrowing in his annoyance. "What's the problem?"

"Ghost!" Roach hissed, real anger showing through. "The problem is you're not putting your health as your top priority. You probably wouldn't—actually, I know you wouldn't—listen to MacTavish if, god forbid, you get injured while we're out somewhere, and he told you to rest until you were healed. You'd probably try to sneak out for training. I just want you to understand that you only have one, well… one you. And I like that one you and I don't want to lose him."

That last part came as a surprise to Ghost. For the duration of Roach's little speech Ghost was brewing up a string of retorts to fire back at him but everything blanked on him when he heard that final sentence. Or maybe he was imagining things. Still, the way Roach's face turned pink in the low, whitish light of the room made him aware that Roach was being serious.

"You like me, huh," was all Riley could think of to say. "I, uh. Never would have guessed…" Of course he could have but he was usually focused on other people, the way Roach usually shrunk into the background of things and was silent and usually unnoticeable made it hard to pay attention to him.

The blond turned his head and began struggling out an excuse, before Ghost shrugged and grabbed Roach gently by the shoulders, pulling him close and kissing his lips to shut him up. Roach's eyes went wide with surprise but he almost immediately leaned into the kiss, shifting himself up a bit so he could scoot onto the bed and lie on top of the taller man.

Breathing out a soft chuckle, Ghost deepened the kiss by licking Roach's lips with the tip of his tongue. Eventually Roach parted his lips enough to let Ghost's tongue wander deeper, twining into Roach's own and tasting the light dusting of sugar from the cereal he had eaten earlier that was still seeming to linger somewhat in his mouth. Ghost's hands trailed a little lower, fingers sweeping easily against the smooth muscles of Roach's shoulders before wandering even lower, roaming over his back and feeling the light curves of his form. Though his hands were shaking somewhat Roach wrapped his arms around Ghost's back against the mattress to hold him close, pressing himself into the other.

After their kiss broke, Ghost mumbled, "Don't want to get too carried away…"

Roach shook his head. "No, but…"

Ghost leaned up to kiss Roach's forehead and he smiled. "We'll save it for another time. How's that?"

Pondering for a moment, Roach nodded again and shifted so he could lay against Ghost's warm chest. He enjoyed being this close—physically—to someone which was a nice change from his usual habits. "Sure."

The room went silent, as neither of them could think of anything to say. Everything that happened throughout the night was repeating through Ghost's mind and they were pleasant memories. Roach had been about to say something, but he realized that the one beneath him had drifted off into a peaceful dream.

"Goodnight," Roach mumbled as he hugged tightly to Ghost. He was also starting to feel tired as well and though the bunk was incredibly cramped as he began to realize, he didn't care too much. If Ghost had already fallen asleep his mission for the night was accomplished. Besides, if he laid close to the wall and held Ghost close to his body, there was just enough room for both of them. He just hoped Ghost wouldn't start asking strange questions in the morning. Even if he didn't, if he went back to his usual routine and Roach returned to his, that would be okay. As long as everything was fixed for this one night, Roach knew that more nights like this might help the other. And any help he could offer, at the very least he'd try. Ghost had already done so much for him, after all.

Ghost gave a half-coherent murmur of reply and moved so his arms were hugging around Roach's waist, to return the closeness of Roach's own gesture. And Ghost's arms were warm, his hands just as warm as well... Roach thought, it was the most comfortable he'd been in a long time. He closed his eyes and laid with his head on Ghost's chest, letting himself finally drift off into a blissfully dreamless sleep.


End file.
